Blister packs are good for storage, transport and preservation of their contents. But they can be inconvenient when it comes time to dispense their contents, especially with blister packs that have multiple layered seals. A problem can arise when a complex or tough seal requires more dexterity or strength or attention than the user has available. Another problem is that after one has removed the contents, one cannot replace them securely in the blister pack.
Blister packs with nicotine gum are different from the soft-pack blister packages which typically contain medications such as pills or tablets. Such soft-packs usually have a clear, partially raised plastic blister layer and a “soft”, thin foil base sealing the medication within the blisters. The user can break through the foil to remove medication, either by piercing the foil side and picking out the contents or by pressing on the plastic blister and thus forcing the pill to break through the foil. Prior art describes many devices for assisting the user in either or both of these actions.
Unfortunately, some blister packs, such as those with nicotine gum, do not simply have only a soft foil sealing layer but instead a thicker layer sealing the contents within. For instance, with a nicotine gum blister flat, there is a soft foil metal layer against the clear plastic blister layer and then another layer of paper and/or plastic backing over the foil. The blister layer usually consists of a clear PVC/PVDC film. These layers are laminated together in various ways. This type of backing (instead of just a foil layer) is appreciably tougher which makes it harder or even impossible for the user to perform the usual methods of poking through the backing to access the contents or pressing on the blister to push the contents out through the backing.
To manually remove a single piece of gum with traditional methods, one is required to first separate an individual blister unit (tear it off from the flat along perforations). Then one must look to find a tiny arrow printed on one corner on the back. Then one picks at that corner of the sealing paper to curl it up. Grasping the tiny curled corner, which stands only about an eighth of an inch high, one tugs to peel away the outer layer to reveal the foil layer below. Sometimes part or all of the foil sticks to the paper and is torn off. If not, then one must pierce the foil to remove the gum or press on the blister to force the gum through the foil. Of course, nicotine gum is intended for people who are trying to quit smoking, so when they are going through all of these steps they may well be in the midst of withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, impatience, crankiness, and have a diminished ability to concentrate. Additionally, if someone is watching while the user is trying to open the blister pack, the frustrated user can become an object of pity or ridicule. This can be a safety issue if the user is distracted by trying to open a blister unit while driving. Users with hand weaknesses or deformities have a hard time opening blister packages which just have a foil layer, so any help with opening reinforced or even simple foil blister seals would be welcomed.
Many devices have been designed to cut through wrappings to gain access to contents. Although they vary in appearance and operation, they all are intended for immediate dispensing of contents and all require one have the wrapped package and tool at the same time. Further, they all require one's attention be devoted to engaging the tool with the package to be opened while dispensing the contents. It also means that the package in question is either sealed closed so the contents cannot fall out or cut open after which the contents can fall out.
Blister packs make for a convenient, portable storage container, but much of that convenience is lost if one must also carry around an opener.
What would be better is if the blister pack itself were transformed to make it easier and more convenient to dispense its contents. And if the package could be opened and reclosed as desired.
Looking at devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,238,753 Package Opener one sees essentially a blade in a folding handle. U.S. Pat. No. 7,730,620 Plastic Package Opener is a blade in a springy handle. 2009/0235537 Blister Package Opener is basically a motorized version of these inventions intended to cut off the sealed edges of a package. All allow the user to cut through a package but none allows the user to easily and controllably vary the depth of the cut to make a reclosable package. They are all intended for immediate dispensing of the contents of the wrapped container. They all are intended to have the package and opener at hand to immediately dispense the contents of the package.
Devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,731 Opening Device for Plastic Packages, D419,417 Compact Disc Case Wrapper Opener, U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,934 Coin Roll Cutter, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,495 Apparatus and Method for Perforating Package Coverings are all similar devices for cutting through the top layer of wrapping of a package such as the shrink wrap on a DVD case. None are capable of creating a reclosable package, instead they are designed to make a cut through a thin top layer of wrapping without cutting the inner package. The inner package is the “contents” which is immediately “dispensed”.
Devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,031 Envelope Opener, U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,154 Slitter Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,161 Cutter are all designed to open envelopes by means of running an envelope through a slot where a blade perpendicular to the envelope cuts through one or more thicknesses of paper. They all function to cut through a thin layer of a relatively flat package after which, for all intents and purposes, the envelope is open along one edge. If this were a blister pack the contents would be free to spill out.
Devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,015 Blister Package Opening Method and Apparatus and U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,049 Universal Blister Pack Opener both open blisters by cutting through the raised blister layer in a plane parallel to and next to the foil sealing layer. Both are intended for immediately dispensing the blister's contents. Also, to liberate the contents the raised blister must be cut through almost completely, leaving only a small portion of the blister as a hinge. Such a door can open inadvertently at any time, possibly spilling the contents and thus is not conveniently portable. Both require the user to have the tool at hand when opening a blister in order to dispense the contents.
Devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,115 Blisterpack Opening Tool and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,513 Medication Dispensing Aid dispense the contents of a blisterpack by pressing on the raised blister layer to force the contents through the foil sealing layer. This type of device is intended to dispense items for immediate use and requires one to have the tool handy when doing so and does not create a reclosable package.
So a quick, easy, inconspicuous method is needed to open one or more blisters, and to selectively dispense and dispose of the contents after the blisters are opened. Additionally such a method should also be relatively childproof (as the existing double seal is relatively childproof) without frustrating the adult user. Also, it would be nice, if the user changes their mind, if it were possible to replace removed contents securely back into the blister.